1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to integrating a windscreen with a door post cover and sanding system such that the windscreen will be used for housing a sanding system, a railway vehicle with a sanding system, and a method for installing a sanding system in a railway vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern locomotives are commonly powered by electric traction motors coupled via suitable gearing to one or more axles of the vehicle. In operation mode, the fraction motors are supplied with electric current from a controllable source of electric power, such as an engine-driven alternator, to rotate the one or more axles of the vehicle. The one or more axles drive one or more wheels which, in turn, support the locomotive on the rail and propel the vehicle along a railroad track. In braking mode, the electric fraction motors may have their mode changed to function as generators to assist the mechanical brakes of the vehicle in slowing speed of the railway vehicle. In any mode of operation, good adhesion between the wheels and the rails is required for efficient operation of the vehicle. The peak pulling and braking capability of the railway vehicle may be limited by the adhesion available between the drive wheels and the rails. Contaminants such as snow, water, grease, insects and rust that are present on the rails can reduce the maximum available adhesion.
In order to improve the adhesion between the drive wheels and the rails, particularly in the presence of snow, ice or grease, railway vehicles are often equipped with a sanding system, also known and referred to as sander system. A sanding system may include a container comprising a supply of sand, also known as sandbox, or other particulate matter selectively delivered to a nozzle having an outlet directly in front of one or more drive wheels of the vehicle. The nozzle directs a quantity of for example sand between the rails and the wheels.
Such containers or sandboxes of a sanding system are typically placed under passenger seats inside the railway car. For example, a sandbox may be placed under a flip seat and thus may encroach into a designated area for wheelchairs, also referred to as ADA (“Americans with Disabilities Act”) seating area. Furthermore, sandboxes under passenger seats create obstacles that maintenance staff must clean around. In order to mitigate these issues, sandboxes may be placed in a wall of the vehicle, under the vehicle below the vehicle floor, between seats, or the issue is simply managed. Windscreens are installed in passenger rail cars adjacent to doorways. The functions of a windscreen are to block the inrush of air when doors are cycled opened, act as a modesty panel for seated passengers, and, if installed on a high floor vehicle with steps, act as a safety device by blocking the side access to the stairway. Thus, an integrated and improved sanding system for a railway vehicle is desired.